Most of us have noticed how few of our once common birds now frequent our gardens. Research shows that many of our farmland and garden birds are in serious and dramatic decline. The removal, destruction and mismanagement of hedges and trees have deprived birds, not only of nesting areas, but also of vital food sources such as berries and insects. Gardens have become increasingly important for birds and other forms of wildlife who are often struggling to survive.

Despite this, the obvious hazards to health and the contamination of our water supply, UK householders douse their homes and gardens with 4,500 tonnes of pesticides annually and the figure is rising. Many of the insects and other creatures normally eaten by birds are destroyed. Many birds suffer and die because they have consumed insects, snails and slugs contaminated with pesticides and weedkillers.

Butterflies, ladybirds, bees, moths, lacewings, toads, hedgehogs, frogs and countless other wild creatures are being sacrificed by the British obsession with immaculate “weed” free, gardens. The Oxford Dictionary defines a weed as a wild plant growing where its not wanted. Many of these plants and flowers provide important food and shelter for our wildlife and form part of our land‘s natural biodiversity which is increasingly threatened.

So on behalf of our vanishing wildlife, please think before you reach for the slug pellets, the weedkiller or the pesticides. Please think before you cover living areas of your garden with concrete, decking, shingle or slate chips. Please think before you cut down that hedge or tree or spray it with poison. Never spray “weeds” underneath a hedge: this will eventually destroy the hedge as well as the indigenous wildife and please don’t cut hedges or trees if birds are nesting in or near them. If you think birds may be nesting in your eaves please delay work which might disturb them until after the nesting season.

Encourage LIFE in your garden: nettles may be weeds to you but they attract bees, and butterflies lay their eggs on them. Old leaves and twigs attract ladybirds and a small pile of old logs is likely to support many interesting and threatened insects which provide food for other species. What about having a wild area at the end of your garden and why not explore organic methods of controlling unwanted visitors. The organisations below provide a wide range of information and leaflets:

Surrey Wildlife Trust have leaflets on how gardens can be managed to help wildlife; to obtain a copy send a stamped addressed envelope marked “Surrey’s 12th Habitat” to the Trust.

PS: although we know that cats are a threat to garden birds, a recent study by Glasgow University showed that the kill was reduced by 50% when cats had bells. Bells should be on elastic with plenty of room for escape should the cat get caught up.

Cats should always be kept in at night as dusk and early morning are the times when birds are most vulnerable to attack. If you have a cat and your neighbour has a nesting box please find out when the birds are due to leave the nest and keep Puss in as much as possible until the babies have flown.